HANDHELD COMPUTING DEVICE

• US 20130021280A1
• Filed: 07/25/2012
• Published: 01/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: LYNCH, Stephen Brian, DABOV, Teodor, LIM, HuiLeng, YEATES, Kyle
• Granted Patent: US 10,180,702 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/026 Details of the structure or mounting of specific components
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49771 Quantitative measuring or gauging
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49947 by applying separate fastener
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49995 Shaping one-piece blank by removing material

Abstract

A minimum Z height handheld electronic device and methods of assembly is described. The electronic device includes a single seamless housing having a front opening and a cover disposed within the front opening and attached to the seamless housing without a bezel.

Claims

1. (canceled)

3. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the display unit is an LCD display.

4. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

a protective glass layer disposed on an upper surface of the display unit;

a touch sensitive layer disposed between the upper surface of the display unit and the protective glass layer, the touch sensitive layer arranged to sense tactile inputs at an outer surface of the protective glass layer.

5. The apparatus as recited in claim 3, further comprising:

a frame structure used to support the protective glass layer bonded to the protective glass layer by way of an amount of adhesive; and

a plurality of gas relief structures incorporated into the frame structure, the gas relief structures used to enhanced the bonding of the protective glass layer to the frame structure by facilitating the release of gas captured when the protective glass layer is joined to the frame structure.

6. The apparatus as recited in claim 4, wherein the gas relief structures are formed by removing a portion of the frame structure.

7. The apparatus as recited in claim 5, wherein the frame structure is formed of plastic and the adhesive is pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA).

2. An apparatus, comprising:

a battery circuit comprising;

a battery unit for storing charge used to power electronic components electrically connected thereto, and

a battery safety circuit; and

a display circuit comprising;

a display unit for presenting images, and

a display controller connected to the battery safety circuit by way of a flexible connector that is bent around the battery unit to reduce the overall Z height of the apparatus, wherein the battery safety circuit and the display controller coexist in the same Y location thereby reducing the overall Y component of the apparatus.

8. The apparatus as recited in claim 2 wherein the apparatus is attached to a support structure, the support structure used to mount the apparatus within a housing.

10. The apparatus as recited in claim 8, wherein the metal support structure is attached to the housing by way of a mounting bracket using a plurality of fasteners, each of the fasteners being placed through a corresponding hole formed in the metal support structure sized to accommodate the fastener.

12. The apparatus as recited in claim 10, wherein the fasteners are screws.

14. The apparatus as recited in claim 12, wherein the removed portions of the metal support structure align with at least some of the Z height datum bumps.

16. The apparatus as recited in claim 14, wherein the housing includes an asymmetric audio jack opening arranged to concurrently conform with a steep spline shaped portion of a sidewall of the housing into which the audio jack opening is formed and a substantially circular audio jack without substantially affecting audio jack trim.

9. The apparatus wherein the support structure is formed of metal.

11. The apparatus as recited in claim 9, wherein the Z height of the metal support structure is reduced by removing portions of the metal support structure in those locations around the holes.

13. The apparatus as recited in claim 11, wherein the mounting bracket includes a plurality of Z height datum bumps arranged to further minimize Z height requirements.

15. The apparatus as recited in claim 13, wherein the apparatus includes alignment pins configured to align with mounting brackets disposed within the housing, thereby providing X and Y alignment of the apparatus with the housing as the apparatus is installed within the housing.